If you are one of the small number of people who use Google's Device Assist app, I have some bad news. Support for the app is being dropped effective immediately. Users are being notified of the app's demise via a "detected issue" card that directs them to Google's online tips site instead.

Google launched the Device Assist app in late 2014 to offer troubleshooting tips on Nexus and Android One devices. It was never particularly helpful, though it was good for a laugh when it recommended device restarts while stock Android still lacks a reboot option. That's the sort of basic help the app offered. It was pretty silly and not surprising Google would kill it.

The app no longer shows up in searches of the Play Store, but you can see the listing if you've installed it before. The app still runs, but no new tips will be added. Nougat has the settings recommendations anyway, so nothing of value will be lost.

If I need to reset my 6p I just hold the power button for a couple seconds and the device resets

Sashank Narayan

That's a hard (forced) reboot. It's not recommended other than in instances where the phone has completely stopped responding. It's similar to turning the power off abruptly to your computer, where professes are killed abruptly and it can cause data loss/corruption.

Artem from AP had an #artemsluck experience once with hard reboot on his device, where he lost all his saved Wi-Fi passwords. I've had some similar issues a few times when I've (accidentally) used it that way. You should always do a clean shutdown so that all processes are ended properly.

David Hyman

Right, but I'm usually only resetting my phone when it's acting all funky anyways but I definitely get what you're saying. That's great advice!

Naga Sridhar

Is this for making way into Google's support which was rumored by AP?

Jack Roberts

Probably a good thing anyways no one used it and people who need tech support usually asks there family who work with tech, like me :(

Ipssan

They're on version 7 and still haven't been able to provide me with a consistently smooth experience. Every version on every phone that I've had suffered from severe suffering and hangs... And I've never owned anything Apple so no fanboi talking here.